“It’s hard not to think about it. There’s practically not a day that I don’t think about it,” said Newell, 94, a Royal Canadian Air Force pilot who served as a flying instructor in the Second World War. “I think about the high school kids that I went to school with who were killed. I think about other friends — they were all just kids really.”

Newell was one of thousands of Canadians who braved a biting north wind and chilly temperatures to commemorate Canada’s war dead at the National War Memorial in Ottawa on Friday.

Newell was part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, which turned out the pilots, navigators, gunners and other aircrew that powered Allied air forces through the war. They might not have seen combat, but hundreds died in training accidents. Newell is campaigning to see that their service be officially recognized.

John Newell, 94, was an RCAF pilot who served as a training instructor during the Second World War.Blair Crawford /
Postmedia

“We lost all kinds of students. All kind of instructors. They are still finding aircraft with the bodies stuck inside,” he said. “An air force person killed in Canada is just as dead as an air force person killed overseas.”

It was to honour that sacrifice, that Canadians gathered — from Gov. Gen. David Johnston and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau right down to young school children — to show support and give thanks to those who served and died in two world wars and the wars in Korea and Afghanistan.

At exactly 11 a.m., as the first shot of a 21-gun salute thundered out, the crowd fell quiet. Fittingly, a few pellets of snow began to swirl before the silence was broken by a trumpeter, followed by the roar of fighter jets and the thump-thump of a trio of helicopters overhead.

Johnston, wearing his military uniform as Canada’s commander-in-chief, laid the first wreath alongside his wife, Sharon, who wore her own uniform as an honorary captain in the Royal Canadian Navy. They were followed by Trudeau and Sophie Grégoire Trudeau.

The Silver Cross Mother was Colleen Fitzpatrick, whose son, Cpl. Darren Fitzpatrick, was killed in March 2010 by an improvised explosive device in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

“I think sometimes that people of our generation can’t really fathom the sacrifices they made,” said Allie MacIsaac, 26, who attended the ceremony with her family, including her grandfather Berard Bennett, a Korean War veteran. MacIsaac’s other grandfather, John MacIsaac, was a D-Day veteran who died last year.

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Allie MacIsaac and her grandfather Berard Bennett. Berard fought in Korea. Her other GF John MacIsaac landed on D-DayBlair Crawford /
Postmedia

“It’s just so important for our generation to recognize that what we have today is because of what they did,” she said. “It just means so much to me, personally.”

MacIsaac went to France in 2007 with her high school class, part of a contingent of students marking the 90th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. She still remembers the soldier she researched — Maj. Edward Moore of Brockville — a married father who died in the April 1917 battle.

“Seeing his name on the Vimy Memorial is something that will always stay with me. Vimy meant so much to Canada as a nation.”

The day was not without its mishaps. At one point, gusting winds sent a sheet of plywood plunging from a construction site on Sparks Street, injuring a woman in the crowd below. In Orléans, paramedics said a 51-year-old bagpiper suffered a heart attack. He was listed in serious condition in hospital Friday afternoon.

Later, when the veterans had marched off, the dignitaries whisked away by car, and the red carpet rolled up, the war memorial was once again opened to the public. As has become tradition, the crowd moved forward to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, covering the cold granite tomb in a sea of red poppies.

Members of the public lay poppies at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during Remembrance Day ceremonies in Ottawa on Friday, November 11, 2016. Patrick Doyle/The Ottawa Citizen

About 270 kids from Regina Public School and Dr. F.J. MacDonald Catholic School walked to Remembrance Day ceremonies at the Flanders Field Mosaic Memorial at Britannia Park Friday (Nov. 11, 2016) morning. Parents, teachers and community members joined the kids, who read poems, sang songs and placed their poppies on wreaths after the service.Julie Oliver/Postmedia

About 270 kids from Regina Public School and Dr. F.J. MacDonald Catholic School walked to Remembrance Day ceremonies at the Flanders Field Mosaic Memorial at Britannia Park Friday (Nov. 11, 2016) morning. Parents, teachers and community members joined the kids, who read poems, sang songs and placed their poppies on wreaths after the service.Julie Oliver/Postmedia

About 270 kids from Regina Public School and Dr. F.J. MacDonald Catholic School walked to Remembrance Day ceremonies at the Flanders Field Mosaic Memorial at Britannia Park Friday (Nov. 11, 2016) morning. Parents, teachers and community members joined the kids, who read poems, sang songs and placed their poppies on wreaths after the service.Julie Oliver/Postmedia

About 270 kids from Regina Public School and Dr. F.J. MacDonald Catholic School walked to Remembrance Day ceremonies at the Flanders Field Mosaic Memorial at Britannia Park Friday (Nov. 11, 2016) morning. Parents, teachers and community members joined the kids, who read poems, sang songs and placed their poppies on wreaths after the service.Julie Oliver/Postmedia

- About 270 kids from Regina Public School and Dr. F.J. MacDonald Catholic School walked to Remembrance Day ceremonies at the Flanders Field Mosaic Memorial at Britannia Park Friday (Nov. 11, 2016) morning. Parents, teachers and community members joined the kids, who read poems, sang songs and placed their poppies on wreaths after the service.Julie Oliver/Postmedia

About 270 kids from Regina Public School and Dr. F.J. MacDonald Catholic School walked to Remembrance Day ceremonies at the Flanders Field Mosaic Memorial at Britannia Park Friday (Nov. 11, 2016) morning. Parents, teachers and community members joined the kids, who read poems, sang songs and placed their poppies on wreaths after the service.Julie Oliver/Postmedia

About 270 kids from Regina Public School and Dr. F.J. MacDonald Catholic School walked to Remembrance Day ceremonies at the Flanders Field Mosaic Memorial at Britannia Park Friday (Nov. 11, 2016) morning. Parents, teachers and community members joined the kids, who read poems, sang songs and placed their poppies on wreaths after the service. Julie Oliver/Postmedia

Ken Downton, a retired Warrant Officer who served as a parachute rigger, takes a moment at the grave site of his good friend Michael Hamilton who died in a training accident in 2009, as families, veterans, and military personnel attend Remembrance Day ceremonies at Beechwood Cemetery. Wayne Cuddington/Postmedia

Ken Downton, a retired Warrant Officer who served as a parachute rigger, takes a moment at the grave site of his good friend Michael Hamilton who died in a training accident in 2009, as families, veterans, and military personnel attend Remembrance Day ceremonies at Beechwood Cemetery. Wayne Cuddington/Postmedia

Jack Commerford shakes hands from well wishers after taking part in Remembrance Day ceremonies at Beechwood Cemetery. Jack served with the artillery in WW2 and then switched to the RCR and trained men going to Korea. Wayne Cuddington/Postmedia

About 270 kids from Regina Public School and Dr. F.J. MacDonald Catholic School walked to Remembrance Day ceremonies at the Flanders Field Mosaic Memorial at Britannia Park Friday (Nov. 11, 2016) morning. Parents, teachers and community members joined the kids, who read poems, sang songs and placed their poppies on wreaths after the service.Julie Oliver/Postmedia

Soldiers march off from their posts as families, veterans, and military personnel attend Remembrance Day ceremonies at Beechwood Cemetery. Wayne Cuddington/Postmedia

Jack Commerford has a few laughs with friends and comrades after taking part in Remembrance Day ceremonies at Beechwood Cemetery. Jack served with the artillery in WW2 and then switched to the RCR and trained men going to Korea. Wayne Cuddington/Postmedia

as families, veterans, and military personnel attend Remembrance Day ceremonies at Beechwood Cemetery. Wayne Cuddington/Postmedia

A veteran looks over the sea of headstones as families, veterans, and military personnel attend Remembrance Day ceremonies at Beechwood Cemetery. Wayne Cuddington/Postmedia

Veteran Bill McLachlan, a wwII radar technician, at the National War Memorial on Remembrance day. Patrick Doyle/-

Scene at the National War Memorial on Remembrance Day. Patrick Doyle/-

Scene at the National War Memorial on Remembrance Day. Patrick Doyle/-

Veterans watch the Remembrance Day ceremonies at the War Memorial in Ottawa on Friday, November 11, 2016. Patrick Doyle/The Ottawa Citizen

Bill McLachlan poses for a photo during the Remembrance Day ceremonies at the War Memorial in Ottawa on Friday, November 11, 2016. Patrick Doyle/The Ottawa Citizen

Members of the public watch the Remembrance Day ceremonies at the War Memorial in Ottawa on Friday, November 11, 2016. Patrick Doyle/The Ottawa Citizen

Veterans march at Remembrance Day ceremonies at the War Memorial in Ottawa on Friday, November 11, 2016. Patrick Doyle/The Ottawa Citizen

Royce Van Every of Leamington, Ontario watches Remembrance Day ceremonies at the War Memorial in Ottawa on Friday, November 11, 2016. He is wearing a photo of his uncle George Van Every who was shot down over Europe and died at the age of 19 in 1944. Patrick Doyle/The Ottawa Citizen

Members of the public watch the Remembrance Day ceremonies at the War Memorial in Ottawa on Friday, November 11, 2016. Patrick Doyle/The Ottawa Citizen

Members of the public watch the Remembrance Day ceremonies at the War Memorial in Ottawa on Friday, November 11, 2016. Patrick Doyle/The Ottawa Citizen

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau an his wife Sophie Gru00e9goire Trudeau lay a wreath during Remembrance Day ceremonies at the War Memorial in Ottawa on Friday, November 11, 2016. Patrick Doyle/The Ottawa Citizen

Governor General David Johnston and his wife Sharon lay a wreath during Remembrance Day ceremonies at the War Memorial in Ottawa on Friday, November 11, 2016. Patrick Doyle/The Ottawa Citizen

Veteran David Boese hugs his service dog Sam during Remembrance Day ceremonies at the War Memorial in Ottawa on Friday, November 11, 2016. Patrick Doyle/The Ottawa Citizen

Veterans march at Remembrance Day ceremonies at the War Memorial in Ottawa on Friday, November 11, 2016. Patrick Doyle/The Ottawa Citizen

Veterans lay poppies at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during Remembrance Day ceremonies in Ottawa on Friday, November 11, 2016. Patrick Doyle/The Ottawa Citizen

Veterans lay poppies at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during Remembrance Day ceremonies in Ottawa on Friday, November 11, 2016. Patrick Doyle/The Ottawa Citizen

The War Memorial during Remembrance Day ceremonies in Ottawa on Friday, November 11, 2016. Patrick Doyle/The Ottawa Citizen

Veterans watch Remembrance Day ceremonies at the War Memorial in Ottawa on Friday, November 11, 2016. Patrick Doyle/The Ottawa Citizen

General Jonathan Vance, Chief of the Defence Staff, centre, salutes during Remembrance Day ceremonies at the War Memorial in Ottawa on Friday, November 11, 2016. Patrick Doyle/The Ottawa Citizen

Members of the public lay poppies at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during Remembrance Day ceremonies in Ottawa on Friday, November 11, 2016. Patrick Doyle/The Ottawa Citizen

A child lays a rose at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during Remembrance Day ceremonies in Ottawa on Friday, November 11, 2016. Patrick Doyle/The Ottawa Citizen

The War Memorial during Remembrance Day ceremonies in Ottawa on Friday, November 11, 2016. Patrick Doyle/The Ottawa Citizen

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